Armed Forces Parade a hit with appreciative military

By Zeke MacCormack :
May 18, 2013
: Updated: May 19, 2013 12:30am

Participants on a float wave to spectators in Rivercenter lagoon during America's Armed Forces River Parade.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Combat-ready Marines cruise through the Rivercenter lagoon in an inflatable boat. Thousands of spectators lined the River Walk to watch the passing of 25 floats carrying veterans, active service members, Fiesta royalty, support groups and kids.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Chelsea pensioners wave to spectators during the Second Annual America's Armed Forces River Parade, Saturday, May 18, 2013, on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Passengers on the Air Force float gets a thumbs-up from a passenger on the Marines float during the Second Annual America's Armed Forces River Parade, Saturday, May 18, 2013, on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Participants on a float wave to spectators in Rivercenter lagoon during the Second Annual America's Armed Forces River Parade, Saturday, May 18, 2013, on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Chelsea pensioners wave to spectators during the Second Annual America's Armed Forces River Parade, Saturday, May 18, 2013, on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Photo By Darren Abate/For the San Antonio Express-News

Marines wave to spectators during the Second Annual America's Armed Forces River Parade, Saturday, May 18, 2013, on the River Walk in San Antonio.

Military personnel basked in an outpouring of public appreciation Saturday at the second annual America's Armed Forces River Parade.

The flotilla of barges bedecked with tinsel, flags and colorful props garnered a national television broadcast.

“San Antonio loves the military people. That's why I love being here,” said Antonio Cruz, a 30-year-old native of Puerto Rico who's been stationed here seven years with the Air Force.

He was among thousands of spectators who lined the River Walk to watch the passing of 25 floats carrying veterans, active service members, Fiesta royalty, support groups and kids — many of the floats laden with musicians belting out patriotic tunes.

That's where the precisely timed staging occurred for the live KABB broadcast also slated to be carried on 62 other channels across the country, including the Pentagon's.

“Since it's on TV, it has to be exact timing,” said Nancy Hunt, the association's executive director. “If an engine won't start or something else happens, then we pull the next float out of order so we always have one float going by.”

Military personnel in the theater stood and cheered as the barges carrying their respective services passed, sometimes after delays caused by the airing of commercials, which also interrupted the amplified patter of commentators.

“I think it's awesome,” said Chicago native Dejion Rivers, 26, part of a theater contingent of a Navy technical training group at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

“I'm proud to serve,” said fellow spectator Derek Phanh, 24, an Army medic-in-training at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, adding: “I'm glad to get off the base for a little bit.”

The inaugural event last year drew about 5,000 spectators, despite occurring at 3 p.m., opposite a Spurs game.

“We're hoping for 10,000 since we changed it to 6 p.m. and the Spurs don't play until tomorrow,” Hunt said.

Schertz resident Don Martin, 88, a WWII Army vet, still remembered how to kill three hours until signaled to move out on the Alamo Honor Flight barge.

“That's the Army way — hurry up and wait,” he joked.

Don White of Granbury shared a barge with fellow members of a 1948 pilot training class at what's now Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph.

“We appreciate being part of it,” said White, 85, one of 20 members of the original class in town for their 65th reunion.

Another barge carried Marines from local recruiting stations, who were directed to “wave, smile and have fun” by their leader, Sgt. Maj. Leo Woods.

“All the support everybody showed for the military was great,” said Woods, 44.

Many participants, including WWII vet Josephine Reads, learned of the first parade after the fact last year.

She said the barges in action Saturday are a far cry from the landing craft that put her on the beach of German-occupied France in June 1944 as an Army evacuation hospital staffer.

“It was rough,” recalled Reads, 94. “I wasn't fooling around.”

The sight of military personnel approaching on barges Saturday repeatedly brought retired teacher Alma Gonzalez to her feet, and nearly to tears.

“I'm proud. I'm grateful,” said Gonzalez, 58. “Any time there's a military parade, I show up.”